FIRST ROUND MWC CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES: Nov. 18 (Thursday) #1 Utah vs. #8 Air Force, 11:30 a.m. (CSTV)
Utah leads the all-time series 14-0. The Utes and Falcons will meet for the first time in MWC Tournament play. Utah is 10-3 all-time in the MWC Tournament play, while Air Force is 0-5. Utah is the No. 1 seed for the first time, while AFA is No. 8 for the fourth time. The Utes are looking to reach the finals for the fourth consecutive year.
#4 UNLV vs. #5 Wyoming, 1 p.m. (CSTV)
The all-time series between UNLV and Wyoming is tied at nine apiece, and the Rebels swept both meetings over the Cowgirls this season. UNLV and WYO meet for the first time in MWC Tournament play. The Rebels are 1-5 all-time in the MWC Championship, while Wyoming is in search of its first tournament victory (0-5).
#3 BYU vs. #6 San Diego State, 4 p.m. (CSTV)
BYU leads the all-time series 29-15, and swept both regular-season meetings. The Cougars and Aztecs will meet for the first time in the MWC Tournament this week. BYU is 9-4 all-time in conference tournament play, while SDSU is 3-5. BYU has reached the championship match in three of the first five years of MWC Tournament play. The Aztecs are 2-3 in first round matches with three of the five matches going five games.
#2 Colorado State vs. #7 New Mexico, 7 p.m. (CSTV)
Colorado State holds a 30-20 advantage in the all-time series and has won 17 straight matches over the Lobos. The Rams and Lobos meet in the first round of the MWC tournament for the second straight year. CSU defeated UNM, 3-1, in last year's tournament at Peterson Gym in San Diego. Defending champion Colorado State, a No. 2 seed for the first time since 1999, is 10-3 all-time in MWC tournaments, while New Mexico is 1-5.
ALL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES TO BE TELEVISED BY CSTV
The MWC Championship will be televised for the fifth straight year in 2004. This year marks the first time ever that all seven championship matches will be available to a national audience, with CSTV carrying the contests. To supplement CSTV's national coverage, matches can be seen on over-the-air and cable affiliates throughout the Mountain West Conference region.
The Mountain West Conference Television Network will be the production entity for the 2004 MWC Volleyball Championship. Check local listings for match coverage.
HOW THE SEEDS FARE IN CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY
For the first time since the inception of the Mountain West Conference, a No. 1 seed took home the tournament crown in 2003 (Colorado State), while the No. 2 seed has won in three of the five years (1999-No. 2 CSU, 2000-No. 2 BYU, 2001-No. 2 Utah). The No. 3 seed has won once (2002-No. 3 Utah). Each of the top four seeds have made it to the finals, while the No. 5 seed has two semifinal appearances. The bottom three seeds have never advanced to the semifinals. Below is a look at MWC Championship results by seed.
All-Time (`99-'03)
Seed Tourney Record Note
No. 1 10-4 Made finals four of five years (BYU `99,CSU `00, `01, `03).
No. 2 12-2 Won title three of five years (CSU `99, BYU `00, Utah `01).
No. 3 7-4 Made it to the finals once and won the title (Utah `02).
No. 4 4-5 Made it to the finals once and lost (BYU `02).
No. 5 2-5 Made it to the semifinals twice (UNM `99, UNLV `01).
No. 6 0-5 Has been swept the past three years.
No. 7 0-5 Has been swept the past three years.
No. 8 0-5 Has been swept the past three years.
MWC CHAMPIONSHIP FACTS
• The MWC Championship will be played in Fort Collins, Colo., for the third time. The event has been played in Provo, Utah, twice and San Diego once.
• Utah is the only team to repeat as conference tournament champions, winning in 2001 and 2002.
• BYU is the only No. 4 seed to advance to the championship match (2002), while Utah is the only No. 3 seed to win the tournament title (2002). The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds have met in the finals in four of the last five years.
• The MWC tournament has produced three different champions in five years.
• Colorado State is the only team to play a five-game match in each year of the MWC Tournament. The Rams are 2-3 in five-game matches in tournament play, including an 0-2 mark in five-game
championship matches.
ACADEMIC HONORS
Three MWC volleyball student-athletes garnered CoSIDA Academic All-America District honors, including two first-team honors. New Mexico senior Adah Burke was a District VI first-team selection, while Wyoming senior Amy Doman earned first-team honors in District VII. New Mexico sophomore Kelly Therkelsen was a third team honoree in District VI. Burke and Doman will be forwarded to the national Academic All-America ballot.
MWC IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
The MWC has 48 wins over non-conference opponents, including victories over three ranked teams. So far this season, Colorado State has defeated then-No. 12 Georgia Tech and then-No. 18 Pepperdine, while Utah beat then-No. 6 UCLA. The Mountain West Conference has a five-year record of 392-289 (.576) vs. non-conference opponents.
NATIONAL STATISTICS
The Mountain West is represented in the national statistics by three of its eight institutions. Eighth-ranked Colorado State is currently ninth in the nation in assists per game (15.82), 12th in kills per game (17.15), 17th in blocks per game (3.06), tied for 14th in win-loss percentage (.880) and 21st in hitting percentage (.279). No. 19 Utah is eighth in blocks per game (3.29) and tied for 21st in win-loss percentage (.840), while BYU is sixth in blocks per game (3.35) and 20th in hitting percentage (.279).
Individually, the MWC has five players ranked in the NCAA statistics. In the blocks per game category, BYU middle blocker Lindsy Hartsock currently ranks third at 1.83 per game, while Utah middle blocker Lyndsey Henderson is No. 4 on the list at 1.79 blocks per game. Hartsock also ranks 19th in hitting percentage (.392). Colorado State senior middle blocker Katie Jo Shirley-Cahoon ranks 22nd in hitting percentage with a .388 efficiency, while teammate Melissa Courtney and Wyoming senior Amy Doman are 13th and 28th in assists per game, respectively. Courtney averages 13.64 assists per set, while Doman has a 13.04 per game average.
DANGERFIELD DIGS A NEW RECORD
Utah sophomore Connie Dangerfield set the MWC all-time single-match record for digs with 33 vs. No. 6 UCLA on Friday, Sept. 17. Her mark broke Adrianne Bradley-Drake's (Utah) record of 31 set on Sept. 9, 2000. Dangerfield was one shy of the Utes' all-time record of 34 digs set by Brenda Barton-Whicker in 1997.
200 WIN CLUB
Colorado State head coach Tom Hilbert captured his 200th victory at CSU with a win over Ohio on Sept. 16. Hilbert and Utah head coach Beth Launiere are the only two active MWC coaches to reach 200 wins at their respective school. Launiere has 297 wins in 15 seasons as the Ute coach, while Hilbert has 216 in eight seasons.
